As is known, conveyor chains of the type specified have to satisfy the requirement to be wound around the drive pulley and the return pulley, to extend around bends connecting flat portions and rising portions, that is, to be able to bend backwards, so to speak, and, finally, to extend along flat portions including bends, that is, to be able to turn.
Although known conveyor chains are satisfactory from various points of view, are widely used, and substantially comply with the aforementioned requirements, they have the recognized disadvantage of a bearing surface which is rendered greatly discontinuous by numerous demarcation lines between adjacent portions, that is, in other words, a highly segmented bearing surface.
As a result, there is a danger that an operator's finger or flap of clothing may be caught, with the possibility of accidents.
The problem upon which the present invention is based is that of devising a conveyor chain which has structural and functional characteristics such as to overcome the disadvantage mentioned with reference to conveyor chains of the prior art.